Broken Pieces Of A Jet Black Heart

Chapter 10

The next Monday I went back to school. The day started with a rush of people going to lessons with books and papers and bags and all kinds of other things in their hands. I was watching a group of people standing at the bottom of the stairs all staring at their phones typing or whatever. None of them spoke or even looked up at each other. I ran slightly up the stairs past them, looking over their shoulder as I passed them. All of them were on Facebook. I continued up the stairs until I reached the science rooms.

After the long, boring class about plant cells, that seemed to last forever, I went over to the music block to sit in the corridor and do some work. The music block was always quiet since no body really did music in their spare time at school. I found my self a table and spread the sheets of work I needed to organise across the table. I began to arrange the papers into piles when I heard my name from down the corridor. My head spun around to see Ashton and Michael walking towards me. I felt my palms become instantly clammy and horrible. I wasn't intimidated by the two half strangers but they didn't make me feel easy around them.
"Hey Luke, we heard that Calum is in hospital, is everything okay?" Michael asked.
Obviously not I thought to my self.
"Kinda" I began "Calum was hit by a car last Wednesday"
Both of their faces dropped.
"Hey dude, we're here if you need somebody to hang around with you know? We're not gonna reject you because Calum's not here" Ashton smiled reassuringly at me as he said this. "And can you tell Calum that we are thinking of him?"
I glanced at the floor as my heart dropped.
"He's not allowed visitors" I said.
"Oh, how come?" Michael sounded surprised.
"I'm not sure" I replied.
"Oh okay, you wanna join us later? We are gonna play some football on the park?" Ashton gave me that same assuring smile he had a few minutes before. Calum loved football. My heart ached. And the park? Where me and Calum were minutes before the accident? I didn't know if I could handle being there, especially without Calum.
"Umm yeah sure" Ashton's facial expressions had never been so kind, it made me feel, for the first time, comfortable in their presence.

I was sat on my bed staring at the pile of clothes that were thrown on the end of my bed. I contemplated not turning up to the park at all. A few minutes later my phone buzzed. Calum? Then I realised it couldn't be, his phone was broken from the impact of the car on his side. Who then? I picked up my phone and a number I didn't recognise displayed across my screen.
"Hey dude, it's Ashton, if your still coming to the park be there at 4:30pm. I'm going to get Michael then we will make our way there."
I checked the time. 4:07pm. I had 23 minutes to get there.

I entered the park and looked across the field to where me and Calum sat the day he was hit. The thought stabbed me in the chest. I glanced around to see if I could see Ashton and Michael. It was now 4:36pm so they should be around somewhere. I finally spotted them, sat on the grass by a row of trees evenly spaced out. I made my way over nervously.
"Hey guys" I said as I approached.
Ashton's head turned suddenly and he jumped to his feet. He smiled at me enthusiastically before leaning towards me for a sort of hug I wasn't used to or expecting and then patted his hand firmly on my back a few times before releasing me again. Michael smiled at me. "Hey Luke, I like your top" Michael said while holding a football. "Thanks" I smiled shyly in response.

The next hour or so passed while we kicked a football in between two of the many trees, pretending that it was a goal post. Ashton and Michael had never been so kind to me, I felt like I belonged with them at this moment in time although I missed Calum. The two of them kept smiling at me through out the whole evening. Eventually I had to go home. Ashton said goodbye and pulled me in for another strange hug and Michael did the same to my surprise. I smiled at them both and thanked them for inviting me.

I walked home slowly, thinking about how Ashton and Michael had acted towards me. I tried to figure out if it was just sympathy or if they actually liked me. I decided to think that they were just being nice since I couldn't spend time with Calum.

That night I laid in bed thinking of Calum. I wanted to see him so bad but I knew I'd have to wait. Eventually I fell asleep and was lost of thoughts and swirling pictures.